My thoughts, since I know you are all eagerly awaiting them, on the new iMac:
- Design is ok - kinda dopey looking. I'll reserve final judgment until I've seen it in person.
- Concept is good - those who watched the Keynote Address in shitty QuickTime video will notice how Jobs explained why they went with the 'two-piece' design (he said something like "Let each component be true to itself" which was moderately embarrassing). Computers are should be simpler and take up less space - this is a good extension of the original iMac in that regard.
- Having the display on an arm is a great idea if done well. I've long wished I could just grab my monitor and move it. It would be even better if the monitor was on an arm connected to the end of my desk, so I could push it away and have all of my desk space free (if my shower head can do it, why can't my monitor). While making it easy to move is nice, it is more important for it to be stable when stationary. Can you imagine how annoying it would be if your screen wobbled slightly when people walked by?
- The NVIDIA graphics card (a pretty good one) has a fan on it. You may recall the fan-less silence of the iMac - which I think was one of it's best features. They claim this one is still quiet - again, I'll check it out in person and report back.
- Another of the nice features of the previous iMac was the tray-less CD drive. Tray's are so 2001 - yet it's back. Possibly so they could hide the drive with a cover? Lame.
Steve Jobs uses phrases like "never been done before" and "revolutionary" like nobodies business. It's interesting though, I think that the quiet revolution in personal computing is happening right now and it has to do with things just working.
Douglas Adams said that technology is a term for stuff that doesn't work yet. Good call. Slowly - very slowly, computers are starting to just work. Now don't get me wrong, I could list loads of instances where computers have failed me in the past month, but things are improving.
A few examples of technology that "just worked":
- We have an HP LaserJet 1100 that has 1 button, no settings, and just works. If you print an envelope, it is smart enough not to suck in your 8"x11" paper - it waits for you to put in the envelope.
- While visiting my parents today, I plugged my laptop into their DSL and I was online - no settings.
- Stuck with a file on a laptop with no floppy drive or Ethernet - we sat it next to another laptop with an infrared port. To my complete amazement (it was my first time), the machines politely mentioned that there was another computer "nearby" (seriously) and asked it we'd like to transfer files - which we did, thank you. No setup, no configuration.
- I have a second hand account of one laptop dialing on to the internet - another plugging into it with a crossover Ethernet cable under Windows 2000 - one click to turn on Internet Connection Sharing and both were online.
- Stick a CD with photos into a Windows XP machine and it will ask you if you'd like to see a slide show (and ask how you'd like it to handle similar CDs in the future). Same with MP3 CDs, audio CDs, and DVDs.
- When I unplug my network cable a bubble pops up and says - "A network cable is unplugged". When I plug it back it - it picks up where I started - no hangs or reboots necessary.
- Copy some text and images from a website into Microsoft Word 2002. You're presented with a non-intrusive icon that disappears if you don't click it (very important - it doesn't interrupt users you don't like or understand it) - if you do click it, it gives you three options: Keep Source Formatting, Match Destination Formatting, and Keep Text Only. That makes so much more sense than having to choose "Edit - Paste Special".
I'm sure I could compile a must longer list of less successful technical endeavors but I do think these features are becoming more common. It is these small things that will eventually make computers accessible to more people. Apple's Movie, iTunes, iDVD, and new iPhoto software seem to do well to make these functions more accessible to more people. Windows XP does its part in this respect as well (good handling of photos, digital cameras, etc.). Even applications like Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint have matured to a point where there are starting to feel simpler even as they become more complex.
What similar experiences have you had with technology recently?
Comments
Peter Rukavina - January 7, 2002 10:43 pm
<P>I had an interesting experience trying to watch the webcast this morning in QuickTime. I first tried to connect using my iBook, with QuickTime's connection set to 1Mbps: the webcast was choppy and the video kept cutting out leaving me with white screen. Next I tried it under Windows 2000, with my connection set to 56Kbps; it was much better, with no cutting in and out. Finally I changed my iBook connection setting to 128Kbps, and got smooth, wonderful video with audio that rivalled "being there." I ran the rest of the webcast fullscreen on the iBook and it never cut out once over 2 hours. Not quite TV, but getting closer. So, in other words, it may be that "shitty QuickTime" isn't an accurate description of your particular problem.
KJB - January 7, 2002 10:56 pm
Man that's the best looking post. AOV looks amazing at the moment (ATM). Perfect. That computer, perfect white space. Very Nice.
Dave Moses - January 7, 2002 11:02 pm
mac's have been riding the "stuff just works" wave for a number of years now. and 85% of the time it's been true. OS X has been a real crazy mix of work/don'twork which has more to do with third party printer drivers than anything. lately with the 10.1+ updates, it's been "just working" fine.
the feelings created when things "just work" -- stress dissappears, coziness ensues. I find I'm a lot less tolerant of things not "just working" too.
i can't wait to get my hand on one of those damn things. it's gonna be a lot bigger than i think. i had the same reaction when i saw the tray loading mechanism. but i'm giving them the benefit of the doubt.
before i saw peter's post i was going to point of the quicktime thing too. you've had a lot of trouble with quicktime in the past i understand from your many previous posts. and i was just about to suggest you try what peter suggested. quicktime has a setting for your internet connection that defaults-- i believe-- to 56k modem. however i would suggest to the folks at apple that the program should recognise your connection speed and optimise its streaming accordingly. that said we had no trouble with qt at all this afternoon, and was really impressed given the number of people who must have been viewing the webcast.
Bacon - January 7, 2002 11:34 pm
The Zipper on my pants didn't stick this morning.
It just . . . worked.
Peter Rukavina - January 8, 2002 11:08 am
<P>I can't believe that I just saw the man (Dave) who castigated me for my use (actually, just *suggested* use) of the word <B>moxie</B> has just use the word <B>coziness</B>.
Steven Garrity - January 8, 2002 11:21 am
Peter and Dave, I'll try out your advice for the QuickTime settings, but giving the spirit of the original post, I still think that makes QuickTime suck. I shouldn't have to know that (and even if I did, I should be able to set my connection speed at what it actually <i>is</i>).
I don't care how much people hate Microsoft, the compression algorithms of the Windows Media format are just better - better than QuickTime and RealAudio/Video both in terms of quality and bandwidth.
The quality of streaming video varies wildly from site to site. CNet/ZDnet seem to have the best quality (almost TV quality at full screen). CNN, has by far the worst - choppy little postage-stamp size video - and they are always advertising how Akamai gives them the best streaming media in the world.
Thank you KJB, your compliments made my morning (which included an accidental sleep-in).
Bacon, you should be careful, God may well punish your sarcasm by zipping your wiener.
Kirby - January 8, 2002 2:31 pm
I agree, Steven: QuickTime is so-so at streaming. But aren't those downloadable movies (like the trailers at QuickTime.com) just gorgeous?
I've boycotted Real because their software is a virus, littering systems with all sorts of crass crap.
sandy - January 8, 2002 4:01 pm
Hey! The new imac.... cool.
We're getting more closer to the Jetsons than we thought! Excellent!
It reminds me of the 50's interpretation of what the future will look like.... just excellent! It's all coming true!
Dave Moses - January 8, 2002 4:52 pm
to peter:
listen... i just finished reading another letter of yours where you "implored" a bank manager to fix a clock. i stand by my coziness! and suggest you all do the same.
vince - January 8, 2002 5:56 pm
<br>
Speaking of the jetsons, did anyone see <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/ptech/01/08/microsoft.gates.reut/index.html" target="_blank">this</a> yet?
It's a touch screen moniter that can detach and be brought around the house. There's a few other goodies they talk about in the article too.
Supposedly, this will all be availble by Christmas.
I can't wait for flying cars.
Steven Garrity - January 8, 2002 8:41 pm
Vince's link is a good one. Check out CNet's Video of Microsoft's new products.
While Steve Jobs is smoothly preaching revolution - Bill Gates is akwardly introducing what I think is much more important technology (the simple TV controller interface is very smart).
Peter Rukavina - January 8, 2002 9:17 pm
<P>
In my experience, no word processor has ever <I>just worked</I> for me. Actually that's not completely true: Scripsit, for a TRS-80 Model I, and WordPerfect for DOS were both simple, clean word processors that presented me with a blank screen to type at. It's all been downhill since then.<P>
My larger issues with Word are: auto-formatting of ordered lists (it's not that I don't like this feature in theory, it's just that the way it flows, and the way the lists are presented as I type is wonky), auto-insertion of hyperlinks for website addresses and email addresses (How often do I want to have these hyperlinked? Mostly never. I'm sure there's a way to turn it off. At least I hope so.) And, highest on the list is the habit of pasting in text with formatting included from email messages and web pages (Steven suggest this 'feature' is friendlier in Word XP; I'm using Word 2000). Don't get me started on the inane "draw a table" system.
Peter Rukavina - January 8, 2002 9:27 pm
<P>
One more thing: what's with that inane "multiple clipboard" thing with Office 2000? Every time I go to copy something out of an email message in Outlook, or out of a Word document, or out of an Excel spreadsheet, I get this incomprehensible pop-up box offering me (I assume) the ability to copy to one of 12 handy clipboards. Why? I have never, in 20 years of writing, ever faced the need to have more than one clipboard available to me. I've tried to turn this 'feature' off, but it keeps returning.
Steven Garrity - January 8, 2002 9:31 pm
Peter, at first I thought that the multiple-item clipboard was a great idea. However, I've never once used it.
One thing they did do right (in Office XP, at least) is that if you ignore the multiple-item clipboard feature and just copy and paste as you always have - it works as you'd expect. It doesn't change the way things work unless you use it (except for cluttering up your screen - which, I agree, is annoying).
Steven Garrity - January 9, 2002 10:21 am
<img src="images/imaclamp.jpg" align="right" alt="image from scripting.com">I thought of this but forgot to mention, the new iMac looks suspiciously like Pixar's demo lamp. Is Steve Jobs cross polinating his companies?
Graphic from Scripting.com.
hannah - January 9, 2002 1:09 pm
Steven - snap! The Pixar lamp is how I described the new iMac to someone yesterday.
Peter - I know how to turn off the hyperlinking thingie in Word and will tell you as soon as I can remember :). Unfortunately we use Wordperfect at work so I can't check it now. (aside - I used to totally diss Wordperfect but now that I have to use it every day I am grudgingly liking it a little bit. Autoformatting for tables, cells, and lists seems a bit more sensible than in Word.)
Bacon - January 9, 2002 10:53 pm
Sarcasm aside, today my seatbelt worked.
As long as these things work, I'm ok with having to reboot my computer hourly.
Anastasia - January 10, 2002 2:27 am
Coziness? Ok.<BR>
Coziness ensues? Hmm. Um. Cute.<BR>
But moxie is the cutest of them all!
dave moses - January 10, 2002 11:53 am
As in, when climbing into my bed after a long, hard day, I climb into my queen size feather bed, pull up the clean sheets and quilt, topped by a duvet, snug in and declare: "Let the coziness ensue!"
Steven Garrity - January 10, 2002 8:59 pm
I'd say this is probably a legitimate coincidence - but it is interesting.
Steven Garrity - January 19, 2002 3:06 pm
People seemed like really enjoy the image of the the new iMac as Pixar logo <a href="#reply1577">posted above</a> (I didn't make it, btw, it came from scripting.com).
Now someone has taken the concept a bit further with a great quicktime movie: Luxo Redux. We were all thinking it, we're just to lazy and untallented to pull it off.
Steven Garrity - January 27, 2002 12:40 am
Apparently <a href="index.cfm?article=475#475">Don Norman</a> likes the new iMac. He's a critic - he doesn't like much.
dave moses - February 28, 2002 11:59 am
Well, it's finally arrived. So you can come and decide for yourself how cool...or not... the new iMac is.
Steven Garrity - February 28, 2002 1:14 pm
Dave invited us to his charming Little Mac Shoppe now that they have a new iMac in. The verdict: it is a little larger than it looks on the web, the movable screen is <i>very</i> nice: fluid but stable (hopefully it would stay that way).